Following the release of Windsor's jobless figures Friday, city councillor Hilary Payne questions the accountability of the Windsor Essex Economic Development Corporation and its CEO.
Statistics Canada says Windsor's jobless rate dipped .3% in January to 9.4% but was the highest in Canada, a distinction Payne calls appalling.
During budget deliberations last month, Payne grilled Sandra Pupatello about job creation. "I wanted to know what industries she's brought, what commerce she's brought, how many jobs she's created, and she had no answers for any of those questions."
Many experts agree this past recession hit manufacturing the hardest, but Payne says that's no excuse for Windsor's persistent high unemployment. "That's all the more reason for them doing a better job," he insists. "They're getting $2.2-million of the taxpayer's money and we're getting no discernable results."
Saying he believes the staff at the corporation are "good people", he wonders if adding four city councillors and four councillors from the county to the board will improve accountability. But he saves his most pointed criticism for Pupatello. "She's holding down four jobs at the moment, one of them as being the head of Hydro One," says Payne. "I just question as to what time she can spend on the development corporation in Windsor."
BlackburnNews.com has attempted to reach Pupatello for comment.
